Religious Freedom – Page 96

Americans United for Life: HHS Releases Phony Compromise

Feb 14, 2013JerryReligious FreedomReligious Freedom, Religious Liberty

Americans United for Life has released an analysis of the Department of Health and Human Services latest “compromise” on its contraceptive mandate.

In short, the compromise does little or nothing.

The Obama Administration has not substantively altered its assault on the First Amendment’s Freedom of Conscience. Friday’s notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) reiterates the Administration’s commitment to what is often referred to as the “HHS mandate”– its coercive policy of forcing coverage for life-ending drugs and devices.

In some significant ways, the Obama Administration’s NRPM is even narrower than the protections it had previously entertained as a possibility in its March 2012 Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM).

Attorney Advises Churches to Define Marriage in Bylaws

Feb 13, 2013JerryMarriage, Religious FreedomMarriage, Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty, Same-Sex Marriage

With the possibility courts or lawmakers nationwide might try to redefine “marriage” to mean something other than the union of one man to one woman, one attorney is advising churches to go ahead and define marriage in their bylaws to avoid litigation that might result from future court decisions.

Bylaw language defining marriage in the biblical sense doesn’t mean a church won’t face a suit or a complaint, but it does mean the church would be in a much better situation legally, said Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel for ADF.

Seventh Circuit Court: School May Not Rent Church Facilities

Feb 7, 2013JerryCurrent EventsCurrent Events, Religious Freedom, Religious Liberty

The Seventh Circuit Court has ruled a school who rented a church facility for a graduation violated the Establishment Clause to the Constitution.

The school’s gymnasium was deemed too uncomfortable for hosting the graduation ceremony; as a result, the school sought a different venue. They settled on renting a church facility. A group sued the school for its decision. The school won every court case up until it was appealed to the entire Seventh Circuit Court. The Seventh Circuit ruled the church’s “pervasively religious” facility and conventional religious symbols constituted a violation on the part of the school.

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